Adjustable louvre shutters



Sept. 14, 1965 s. F. BEARDs 3,205,541

ADJUSTABLE LOUVRE SHUTTERS W 4 JX 7@ ZWJZ Sept. 14, 1965 s. F. BEARDs ADJUSTABLE LOUVRE SHUTTERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 29, 1965 FIGB.

A Y k\\\\\\\ vv FIG] United States Patent O 3,295,541 ADJUSTABLE LUVRE SHUTTERS Samuel Francis leards, Wellington, England, assigner to 'Beta Aluminium Products Limited, Ketley, England, a company of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Filed Mar. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 269,011 3 Claims. (Cl. Ztl- 62) This invention has reference to adjustable louvre shutters.

Adjustable louvre shutters as constructed heretofore, apart from the shutters themselves, are customarily made from metal and as a consequence it is found that in use such shutters are liable to chatter both when opened and when closed and thus occasion an irritating noise.

Moreover, ditticulty has been experienced heretofore in effectively weather-proofing the shutters and in this connection it is mentioned that it has been proposed to provide a jam-b assembly for adjustable louvres of the type having a number of channeled louvre clips each adapted to receive an end of a louvre blade and connected pivotally at an intermediate portion to a jam, in which the jam includ-es longitudinal weather beads l'between pivots; and each louvre clip includes longitudinal weather beads extending from its pivotal connection to the jamb, the weather beads of ythe jamb and the clip being such that, when the clip is in the closed position, its weather beads lie closely adjacent to wether -beads of the ja-mb; the jambs bosses about which each clip pivots and the louvre clips being so made and arranged that there is clearance between each jamlb and the louvre clips.

The present invention has for its object to provide an adjustable louvre shutter which is relatively noiseless when in use, easy in action and substantially weather-proof and corrosion-proof.

Accordingly the invention consists of adjustable louvre shutters in which the shutters are mounted in end frames -rn-ade of a corrosion resistant relatively resilient synthetic plastics material havin-g a low coecient of friction and in which the said end frames are provided on their outer surfaces with outwardly directed protuberances which exert a wiping action on the surface of the adjacent jamb as a shutter is being opened 4and closed and which remain in contact with the jamb when the shutters are closed by virtue of their inherent resilience so as to provide weatherproof sealing.

The invention also resides in adjustable louvre shutters constructed, arranged and adapted for use substantially as -will be described hereinafter.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described wit-h particular reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a front elevation -of one end section of an adjustable louvre shut-ter in accordance with the invention showing the shutters partly open FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation of FIGURE 1 FIGURE 3 is an end view partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section `of the portion of the end section of an adjustable louvre shutter as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 FIGURE 4 is an exploded View in perspective of the components of the end section of an ladjustable louvre shutter as illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3 FIGURE 5 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 5-5 in FIGURE 3 looking in the direction of the `arrows to the said line 4FIGURE 6 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 6 6 in FIGURE 3 looking in the direction of the arrows to the said line FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary View showing the shutters of the adjusta-ble louvre shutter illustrated in the foregoing :tigures fully closed, and

FIGURE 8 is a yfragmentary in section and on an enlarged scale illustrative of the wiping land sealing action of the outwardly directed protuberances incorporated in t-he adjustable louvre shutter as illustrated in FIGURES l to 7.

In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views.

According to the illustrated embodiment of the invention adjustable louvre shutters incorporate jambs 10 made of `anodised light metal alloy of a channel 4shape in crosssection. These jambs 10 are adapted to be xed -to the Wall not shown surrounding the shutter in the customary manner and at each position where a shutter is to be located the jambs are provided with circular holes 101.

Each shutter 11 is adapted to be mounted in end frames 12 made from a relatively resilient corrosion resistant synthetic plastics material having a low co-ecient of 'friction. These end frames 12 incorporate channel section jaws 121 for the reception of the marginal end portions of the shutters 11. The channel section jaws 121 are formed so that the free ended limbs constituting the jaws 121 tend to spring inwardly see FIGURES 5 and 6 so that when a shutter 11 is inserted in an end frame 12, the said jaws 121 have to be sprung apart and so that upon release the jaws 121 firmly grip the Imarginal end portions of the shutters 11.

Each end frame 12 is formed integral with an exposed rounded head or boss 122 having an outwardly directed cylindrical portion 123 hereinafter termed the outer hub section 123, which is of less diameter than the .boss 122 and adapted to Atit t'urnably within the relevant hole 101 in the relevant jamb 10.

Adapted to be screwed to the outer hub sections 123 are discs 13 of a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the exposed heads 122 and somewhat greater than that of the hub 123.

These discs 13 are provided on their inner faces with a centrally disposed elongated rib 131 adapted to mate with a complementary recess 124 in the respective outer hulb lsections 123.

When the discs 13 are screwed to the outer hub sections 123 the said outer hub sections 123 constitute hubs with the marginal peripheral portion of the bosses 122 in bearing Contact with the marginal surface of the jamb 10 bounding the respective holes 101 therein.

Each inner Ihub section 13 is housed within the respective jarnbs 10 and is provided with a pair of outwardly directed diarnetrically disposed pegs 133 which also are housed within the respective jaxnbs 10 and serve as pivot pins as will be described hereinafter.

The outer sides of each end frame 12 are provided with a pair of protuberances 12S of a chisel edge formation see FIGURES 4 and 5. The rearmost of the pair of protuberances 125 at the upper end of an end frame 12 is located on the inside of t-he shutter 11 when the shutter 11 is closed with the lower end portion of the innermost of said protuberances 125 merging outwardly into the periphery of the respective boss section 122 whilst the outermost of the lower pair of protuberances 125 of each end frame 12 is located on the outer side of the shutter 11. The lowerrnost pair of protuberances 125 are developed into the periphery of the respective boss 122 on the inner side see FIGURES 2 and 3.

The inside protuberance 125 of an upper pair also cooperates with a strip having .an inclined sunface :126 the lower end of which is in register with a .gap -1'27 formed in the lower protuberance i125 as and `for a purpose to be disclosed hereinafter.

The depth of the protuberance -125 is such that during `opening and closing the chisel edges of the protuberances y125 exert a wiping action on the jambs d0 and when closed remain in contact with the jambs Iby virtue 'of their resilience see FIGURE 5 so as to provide a weathertight closure of the shutter when in the closed position, that is to say the elective depth of the protuberance '125 denoted by the reference letter c in FIGURE 8 is f-ractionally greater than the distance b indi-cated in fthe said FIGURE :8.

The pivot pegs 133 associated with the discs 13 are engaged turnably within holes '141 in a pair of parallel strip metal slides |14 housed within the space bounded by the sides of the jamb 10. These slides 114 .are connected with an operating lever (not shown) so that a reciprocating movement can be imparted thereto.

The sli-des :14 move in a parallel relationship and effect a rotation of the composite hub for opening and closing the shutters 111 raccordi-ng to the direction of movement imparted thereto.

The jambs 10 may be made of a synthetic plastics material instead of metal and likewise the slides 14.

The end frames 112 are cut away as indicated at .1128 so that .the complete Iclosure may lbe attained when the shutters `11 are moved to the fully closed position see FIGURE 7.

The protuberances 125 may be inclined .and may be of other formation Ithan chisel edged for example, they may the arcuate in crossJsection.

Moreover, instead .of providing the outer surface of an end frame 412 with pairs of upper and lower protuberances 1125 the said outer surfaces may be provided with a pair of single protuberances or with symmetrically arranged pairs of triple sets of protuberances.

Conveniently the plast-ics material employed :for lthe shutters, end frames and slides is the material Ilmown as nylon, although other .synthetic plastics. materials having generally similar properties may be employed [for eX- -ample-polyester res-ins.

It will be appreciated that during opening any moisture collected by an upper inner protuberance 125 will run down the inclined sur-face 126 and be discharged .through the complementary gap l127 and downwardly over the perip-hery of the Icylindrical boss 122.

IIt is found that adjustable louvre shutters constructed as 'hereinbefore described are relatively noiseless in use, easy of :action without requiring lubrication and substanttially weather-proof and corrosion proof.

l claim:

'1. An adjustable pivotal Window comprising a .sur

rounding frame presenting opposite inwardly facingparallel jarnb surfaces, and at least one pivotal window element mounted between said jamb surfaces; said element 'comprising a -main window :panel and ftwo end fittings re-spectively disposed at each end of the panel adjacent the jarnb surfaces, each end fitting comprising a unitary moulded synthetic plast-ic element having on one side .a channel .to receive the adjacent edge of said main window panel, and on the opposite side at least two parallel flexible wiper blades for wiping contact with the respective jamb surface, each end tting Ialso having an integral moulded boss which surrounds an Iaxis about which said element pivots and makes sealing engagement with said jam-b surface, and an inclined surface on the upper portion of each end tting, running forwards and down- Wards from the inside to the outside, above said boss, t-o the outside wiper blade in which a gap is formed serving to facilitate escape of moisture trapped between the upper portions of said .two wiper bla-des.

2. -An adjustable pivotal window according to claim 1, wherein the tWo wiper blades von each end tting present a gap between their lowermost ends, through which gap moisture trapped between thev lower portions of the two wiper blades can escape.

3. An adjustable pivotal louvre window comprising a surrounding frame including two parallel vertical jamb members, a plurali-ty of pivotal louvre window element-s mounted on spaced 1horizontal faxes above one another sbetween said jamb members, each louvre window element comprising 1a transparent louvre panel, and two end iittings at opposite ends .thereof respectively, each end fitting :comprising `an integral member of a synthetic plastic material having aV low c-oefli-cient of friction, I'che said member providing on lone side a channel to receive one edge of the louvre panel, and on the other side at least two parallel spaced wiper blades making sliding engagement `with the adjacent one of said vertical ja-mb members, each end fitting also having an integral :boss portion which surrounds an axis about which the associated louvre element pivot-s and provides a substantially circular 'lip which makes sealing engagement lwith said vert-ical jamb member, said lip being formed continuo-us with at least one of said wiper blades, and Ifurther comprising an inclined surface on the upper portion of each end rlitting, running for-wards anddownwards from the inside to the outside, Aabove 'the boss portion, to .theoutside wiper lblade in which a gap is formed so .as to facilitate escape of moisture trapped between the upper portions of said twov wiper blades.

` References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS k2,580,621 Y 1/52 Vicksell 20-62 `2,787,032 4/57 Brenner 20-62 2,815,545 1-2/57 Green 20-62 l `2,890,503 6/59 Paine 20-62 2,952,051 9/f60 Scott 20-62 3,084,405 4/63 Kahn et al. 20--62 HARRISON R. MOSEL'EY, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ADJUSTABLE PIVOTAL WINDOW COMPRISING A SUR ROUNDING FRAME PRESENTING OPPOSITE INWARDLY FACING PARALLEL JAMB SURFACES, AND AT LEAST ONE PIVOTAL WINDOW ELEMENT MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID JAMB SURFACES; SAID ELEMENT COMPRISING A MAIN WINDOW PANEL AND TWO END FITTINGS RESPECTIVELY DISPOSED AT EACH END OF THE PANEL ADJACENT THE JAMB SURFACES, EACH END FITTING COMPRISING A UNITARY MOULDED SYNTHETIC PLASTIC ELEMENT HAVING ON ONE SIDE A CHANNEL TO RECEIVE THE ADJACENT EDGE OF SAIS MAIN WINDOW PANEL, AND ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE AT LEAST TWO PARALLEL FLEXIBLE WIPER BLADES FOR WIPING CONTACT WITH THE RESPECTIVE JAMB SURFACE, EACH END FITTING ALSO HAVING AN INTEGRAL MOULDED BOSS WHICH SURROUNDS AND AXIS ABOUT WHICH SAID ELEMENTS PIVOTS AND MAKES SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID 